'Brought Taliban to Negotiating Table': Pakistan's Role 'Instrumental' in Doha Deal, Says FM Qureshi

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has accused Pakistan of infiltrating Afghanistan with 10,000 foreign fighters, who joined the Taliban's ranks. Islamabad says it has a direct stake in the peace process in the war-ravaged nation, arguing that a civil war in Afghanistan would not only spill over into Pakistan, but also lead to a refugee crisis.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad played an “instrumental role in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table” and in finalising the landmark Taliban-US Doha Peace Deal in 2020.

“Pakistan (also) helped in the intra-Afghan negotiations in 2020,” added Qureshi, addressing a press conference on Monday in Islamabad.

“🇵🇰 played an instrumental role in bringing Taliban to the negotiating table. 🇵🇰 facilitated:
➡️ the conclusion of US-Taliban Peace Agreement;
➡️ the commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations;&
➡️ the Agreement on Rules & Procedures.”

▶️ FM @SMQureshiPTI address to the media pic.twitter.com/PsTlDUUQ9q

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 9, 2021

The Doha Peace Deal, signed on 29 February last year, calls for guarantees from the Taliban that Afghanistan’s soil won’t be used by any group or individual against the US amid the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreed to as part of the intra-Afghan talks.

​The remarks by Pakistan’s foreign minister came as he expressed his displeasure over Islamabad being left out of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debate on Afghanistan on 6 August.  

Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Munir Akram has accused India, which currently holds the presidency of the 15-nation UNSC, of not acceding to his request that the nation be permitted to participate in the debate.

“Obviously, we do not expect fairness from the Indian presidency for Pakistan,” stated Akram.

Qureshi said that it was “regrettable” that Islamabad didn’t get a chance to present its view at the UN debate.

“Pakistan should have been invited to this briefing. Why? Because we are not only the direct neighbours of Afghanistan, but we have suffered the most after Afghanistan. We are also one of the biggest stakeholders in peace and stability in Afghanistan and have been facilitating peace in Afghanistan,” argued Qureshi.

The cabinet minister said that the responsibility for the success or failure of the intra-Afghan talks lies squarely with the Afghan government.

“Pakistan can’t be held responsible for the failure of others. Pakistan has played a constructive role in the Afghan peace process and will continue to do so,” remarked Qureshi.

He also reminded the international community that it had a “shared responsibility” to maintain peace and stability in Afghanistan, and the role was not Pakistan’s alone.

He was responding to claims by Afghanistan that Pakistan was propping up the Taliban insurgency by aiding the Islamist insurgent group logistically and militarily.

At the UN debate on 6 August, Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ghulam Isaczai slammed Islamabad for providing sanctuary to the Taliban militants.

“We urge Pakistan to help with removing and dismantling of the Taliban’s sanctuary and supply line and establish with us a joint monitoring and verification mechanism to make the fight against terrorism and international efforts for peace effective and credible,” the Afghan envoy stated.

The UN debate came amid reports of the Taliban insurgents making their way to the Afghan cities, after overrunning the Afghan countryside with virtually no resistance from the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

In the last four days, the Taliban has claimed to have taken control of at least five Afghan provincial capitals — Aybak (Samangan), Sar-e-Pol (Sar-e-Pol province), Zaranj (Nimruz), Sheberghan (Zawzjan) and Taleqan (Taleqan province).

*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.